nealon



(No Model.)

J. P. NBALON.

SHOE.

Patented Oct. 22

UNITED STATES PATENT CEErcE.

JOHN P. NEALON, 0F MILFORD, MASSACHUSETTS.

SHOE.

SPECIFICATION forming* part 0f Letters Fatemi N0. 548,384, dated October22, 1895. Application tiled July 3, 1895. Serial No. 554,858. (Noniorleldl To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known thatl I, JOHN P. NEALON, a citizen of the United Sta-tes,residing at Milford, in the county of Worcester and State ofMassachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inShoes; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exactdescription of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in theart to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to improvements in shoes; and it consists in thepeculiar coustruction, novel combination, and adaptation of partshereinafter described, and specilically pointed out in the claimsappended.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a rear elevation of a Congressshoe embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a vertical transverse section ofthe same looking toward the rear, and Fig. 3 is a plan View partly inhorizontal section.

Referring by letter to the said drawings, A indicates the vamp andcounter portion of a Congress shoe, which may be of the ordinaryconstruction, and B indicates the upper. This upper has the pieces ofelastic webbing C in its opposite sides like all Congress shoes 5 but itdiffers from the ordinary shoe in that it is open up the back, asindicated by a, and is provided in the upper portion b, on oppositesides of said opening, with eyes c, to receive the lace D, as shown.This lace D, which may be run through the eyes c and fastened in theordinary or any appropriate manner, is formed of some elastic material,and it will therefore be seen that when the shoe is drawn on the footthe lace will give or stretch and will prevent the imposition of strainon the instep of the shoe, and when the shoe is 0n the foot said lace,by reason of its elasticity or stretching quality, will prevent thepieces of webbing C from clasping the upper so tightly around the ankleof the wearer as to stop the circulation of blood and render the shoeuncomfortable. On the other hand, the lace D will hold the upper snugand smooth around the ankle, so that the same will present a very neatand elegant appearance Without subjecting the wearer to discomfort,

If in practice the webbing C is stretched so as to make the upper bloose around the ankle, the elastic lace D may be removed and anou-elastic lace substituted therefor, which non-elastic lace will serveto draw and hold the upper snugly and close around the ankle for thepurpose above stated. Vvhen the shoe is new, however, the lace ofelastic rnaterial is highly desirable, for the reasons before stated,and will always be used.

E indicates a tongue which is designed and adapted to cover the lace D,so as to prevent the same from rubbing or chating the foot of thewearer. This tongue E is lasted in the shoe at the time of manufactureand is connected by a line of stitching t along one of its edges to theupper B, and in order that said tongue may always be drawn smooth whenthe shoe is pulled on the foot, so as not to be uncomfortable to thewearer, I connect the pull-strap F to it, so that the shoe cannot bepulled on the foot without the tongue being drawn smooth and straight,as is desirable. The tongue E being lasted in the shoe and connectedalong one edge to the upper B is Well adapted to withstand the strainincident to drawing on the shoe by the pullstrap F.

It will be appreciated from the foregoing that while my improved shoemay be manufactured almost as cheaply as the ordinary Congress shoe itis much more comfortable to the wearer and when old or worn for aconsiderable time will present a much neater and more elegantappearance, which is an important advantage.

Having described my invention, what I claim isl. The shoe describedcomprising an upper open up its back, a lace connected to the portionsof the upper on opposite sides of the opening and adapted to draw saidportions together so as to close the opening up the back of the upper,and the tongue E, lasted in the shoe and connected by stitches along oneedge to the upper and provided with the pull strap at its upper end',and adapted to cover the opening in the back of the upper and preventthe lace from rendering the shoe uncomfortable and also adapted to bedrawn smooth when the shoe is pulled on the foot, substantially asspecified.

2. The shoe described consisting essentially of the upper provided inone or both sides ICO with elastic webbing and open up its back, theelastic lace connected to the portions of upper on opposite sides of theopening and adapted to draw said portions together so as to close theopening up the back of the upper, and the tongue E, lasted in the shoeand connected by stitches along one edge to the upper and provided withthe pull strap at its upper end and adapted to cover the opening ro inthe back of the upper and prevent the lace from rendering the shoeuncomfortable and also adapted to be drawn smooth when the shoe ispulled on the foot, substantiallyT as specified.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

v JOI-1N P. NEALON. Vitnesses:

LoUs F. MONGEON, GEO. W. SPAULDING.

